Keeping Up The Act
by Ciara Lewis
Summary: Three girls face betrayal from the gang they've called family for years. They flee Boston and the Shadows and make their way to New York where they create new lives for themselves. But will their past threaten to destroy the present and their bright fut
1. Prologue

Keeping Up the Act  
  
Prologue:  
  
Near the turn of the century in Boston, Massachusetts, there were a number of inexplicable, baffling crimes in the streets that no one could solve. There was not a pattern in the crimes.no noticeable similarities in the way they were carried out or what they were after. A private detective was the first to discover the calling card; a small, intricately carved G on the floor or wall within a foot or two of the scene of crime. There was no doubt in the police's mind what the G stood for. Ghost. He was the mastermind behind all of the unexplainable thefts and murders; the connection between the large sum of money that had disappeared from the Patterson residence and the dead man found in an alley with all his money and valuables still in his pocket. Despite their best efforts, the police couldn't foresee where the next crime would take place, so the initial G was really the only thing that proved Ghost's gang was the culprit.  
  
Those who had seen Ghost's work speculated on who and what he was. Perhaps he was a middle-aged business man gone corrupt, or maybe he was just a boy, barely in his teens. But hardly anyone knew for sure, and those select few that did didn't dare give him away.  
  
He controlled the Shadows, a large group of criminals all hand-picked by Ghost himself. No one knew how many people were actually members of the Shadows. Perhaps there were one hundred, or maybe just five; Ghost's closest and most trusted friends. Whatever the amount, the fact remains the same; they were considered to be one of the more dangerous gangs in Boston at the time.  
  
While the Shadows were divided into many smaller groups; the core group, the one Ghost actually revealed himself to, contained only ten members. One of those ten was Ghost himself, and four others were girls. Surprising, really, that Ghost would not only allow members of the female race to join them, but that he actually hand-picked four of them to be in his inner circle of select thieves; each with their own abilities and particular role to play in their operations.  
  
Samantha, a stunning blue-eyed blonde, was the stepdaughter of Mr. J. Britten, a wealthy business man who occupied one of the highest circles in society. Ghost discovered her resentment and animosity towards those wealthy socialite groups she herself was part of, and approached her. Over time, she proved herself trustworthy to an extent and he gave her more information and jobs. Sam, also known as Princess, laid hold of the house plans they were to steal from and gathered information from a variety of higher-class occupants that would aid in their endeavors.  
  
The other three girls in Ghost's gang were chosen for their size and individual talents. Tyler, for instance, was picked for her skill to remain completely hidden while trailing someone. Her small frame and dark hair as well as cat-like movements allowed her to blend in with the surroundings until only glimpses out of the corner of an eye or the brief shadow on the wall signified her presence. To Tyler, Ghost gave the name Shadow.  
  
Jessica Williams, a short brunette with brown eyes, aided Ghost's gang with her talent to think and plan rationally, often realizing problems that even Ghost's critical eye missed. She helped behind-the-scenes more than in the action, although her fighting was not lacking in any respect. Her gang name was Bone, referring to the fact that she was part of the "backbone" of the group.  
  
And last, but definitely not least, Dynamite. Ghost's girl. Her real name was Michelle Delancey, a feisty redhead with a passion for fighting and a knack for getting herself into and out of tight scrapes. She had many roles to play; fighter, planner, thief, distraction. She was the actress in the gang, and her talents did not go unused. Ghost often sent her ahead to cozy up to the guard or create a noisy distraction. Her nickname, Dynamite, was rumored to have been from a comment that Ghost himself made after watching her in action, "That girl is dynamite. No matter what she does, she does it better than anyone I know." Oddly enough, soon after she joined the group, Ghost's many late night rendezvous with girls from all over Boston mysteriously came to a slow trickle. Some gang members whispered that he had fallen madly in love with her, others that she kept his hands too full, while still others, some of the more jealous members of the female race, accused her of being a witch and putting her under his spell. Whatever the cause, Dynamite was labeled as Ghost's Property and set apart from the other girls of his acquaintance. At least for the time being.  
  
But out of all these, the biggest question that revolved around the Shadows was perhaps the most apparent and common one of all: Where would they strike next? 


	2. Making Plans

Author's Note: At long last, here we have it! Ch. 1!!!!! Thankyou to Spark, Morning Dew, repeats, Bookey Elliot, Teepot, and Moonlights Sundance!  
  
**just a note. I do not live in Boston, nor have I ever lived there. So I'm claiming creative license here and just making stuff up. I tried to research it a bit but it was REALLY hard. So sorry if I offend anyone! (this goes for Teepot especially! ( )  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
"Peaten Avenue." The handsome young man with black hair and steel gray eyes spoke, leaning forward in his chair and spreading papers across the wooden table. "The place is swarming with upper class families. We pulled off a job at the Everson residence there a couple months ago."  
  
Several heads around the table nodded their remembrance, and Ghost continued, satisfied. "There's a new couple living there- newly-weds by the name of Bennings. The man has just inherited his grandmother's fortune and has put the money part of it away in the North Bank. There were two pieces of jewelry that were also part of the inheritance; a diamond ring he gave his wife for their engagement, and a sapphire necklace. We're after the necklace."  
  
He motioned to a small brunette girl on his left to pick up and she began to describe the plan, "The house has two floors, and the necklace is on the second. It's in a locked jewelry box that has been nailed from the inside to a dresser. The key to the box is kept inside Mr. Benning's front pocket. On the night we'll be there they are holding a party to celebrate their new home. There will be three guards; two outside and one inside. The inside guard checks the upstairs' rooms every twenty minutes. We don't have the time or safety to risk trying to break the box open. We'll need to get the key. Storm and Dynamite, that's where you'll come in."  
  
A dark-haired boy and a red-headed girl nodded attentively. The brunette- Bone- continued, "It's up to you how you want to do it, but slip the key to Shadow. Shadow, you and Slick then get up to the second level. You won't have much time, so you'll need to hurry..."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Half an hour later, Bone rose from her chair and stretched. It seemed like she had been sitting there forever. Thankfully her part of the mission was now over and she could relax. Bone gathered her notes together and left the nearly empty room in search of her friends.  
  
In a far corner of the main room stood Dynamite, Shadow and Princess in a circle. "Hey guys," Bone slipped into the circle and covered a yawn with one hand.  
  
Shadow gave her an appraising look and then raised an eyebrow. "Did you get any sleep last night?"  
  
Bone shook her head slowly, "I was finishin' off details. Oh, Princess, I forgot ta say t'anks for goin' back to da Bennings house for those directions."  
  
Princess shrugged, though her lips curved briefly into a self- satisfied smile. "Don't worry about it. Listening to Meg Bennings complain for an hour about her husband's lack of trust in her ability to not lose the necklace was...entertaining. My ears are still ringing from her high-pitched voice."  
  
"Still...Ghost shouldn't have sent you back. Was your father suspicious?"  
  
"Stepfather." The blonde girl stressed, grimacing. "And no, he was much too pleased that I seem to be taking an interest in socializing to suspect. Unfortunately, that means he's invited a business associate and his idiot daughter over for tea tonight."  
  
Dynamite raised her head, "So you can't come to da party tonight?"  
  
Princess shook her head in regret, "No, but hey, flirt with a guy or two for me, alright?"  
  
A smooth male voice suddenly entered their conversation, "The only guy this one'll be flirtin' with is me."  
  
The girls laughed as Ghost drew the startled Dynamite into a lengthy kiss. He pulled away a bit later, leaving Dynamite flushed and bright- eyed. He pulled her roughly to his side and grinned cockily down at her. "Ain't that right?"  
  
She responded with a grin of her own, "Oh, definitely."  
  
He smirked and leaned down to claim her lips again but her grin turned cheeky and suddenly she had disentangled herself from his arms and was wrapped in another boy's. "Dat is-unless Storm comes."  
  
The mischievous-looking dark-haired boy played along and held her closer, "Oh, sweetheart, I will definitely be going if only to flirt with you while my boss shoots death looks at me...as he is now."  
  
Ghost merely rolled his eyes as his girlfriend and her partner-in- crime laughed at his expense. But when Storm made no move to release her Ghost scowled. "Storm," his voice warned, and Storm let Dynamite go and left, knowing it would be in his best interest.  
  
"Anyways, I need to speak to Princess before she leaves." Ghost said and Princess raised an eyebrow but followed him across the room nevertheless.  
  
The other three girls watched them go curiously and then Shadow turned to Dynamite and abruptly asked, "Dee, how long do you think you and Ghost will last?"  
  
Dynamite frowned, "Ghost does not like Princess, Shadow."  
  
"Huh?" Shadow looked surprised then laughed, "No, the question has nothing to do with that. I was just curious."  
  
"Oh." Dynamite's eyes flicked to the devastatingly handsome man near the door.  
  
When she finally did speak her voice was serious, and Shadow knew her best friend would give an honest answer. "I think...I don't know, Shadow. I love him. He's handsome, smart, commandin', fun to be 'round, mysterious, dangerous in dat appealing sort of way, an' he doesn't put me down. He accepts me fer who I am an' I feel like he admires my personality, not just my looks."  
  
Shadow watched her friend's face and prompted, "But?"  
  
"But sometimes, I don't know if he loves me. Or if he's right for me. I feel inferior to him, and I know I should cause he's my leader, but it's different. Like, I never know if it's safe to approach him. If he's in one of his moods, he acts like he doesn't care about me. An' I'm scared to fight him, Shadow. I can tease him, like wit' Storm just then, but to actually fight him? No matter how close we are, if he's angry I don't want to be near him. He's so different when he goes into his dangerous leader of the Shadows attitude. I hardly recognize him. And I don't trust that side of his personality. I never know what he'll do. Honestly? I have no clue how long we'll last."  
  
Dynamite suddenly seemed to shake herself out of her serious mood and looked up, "Why?"  
  
Shadow smiled and shrugged, "Just curious."  
  
Dynamite made a face at her, "You're always curious. You're like a cat. They should've named you Cat instead of Shadow."  
  
"Already taken."  
  
"Oh man, look at Bone." The shorter girl had sunk down to the ground and was sound asleep with her back against the wall.  
  
"I'll get Giant."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Ghost took a sip of his drink and chuckled as one of the extended Shadows gang members-the ones he gave orders to but didn't directly work with- made a fool of himself. The boy had had one drink too many and then abruptly gotten up and started stumbling around, singing at the top of his lungs. Ghost maintained an amused expression on the outside while inwardly cringing. *He can't be more than 12 yeahs old, who on earth let him in? If he's this much of an idiot, what help is he on the job?" If there was one thing Ghost couldn't stand for was keeping gang members out of pity. If they didn't have a talent to offer and couldn't pull their own weight they were out.  
  
But his train of thought ended as a vaguely familiar girl with black hair and dark green eyes sashayed up to him. She smiled at him, "Dance with me?"  
  
He looked her up and down appreciatively, then shook his head regretfully. "Sorry."  
  
It was strange how only a year ago he would have gladly taken up the offer and then probably followed it up with a heavy make-out session. But Dynamite had changed things. She was intriguing-enough to hold his attention for much longer than a mere hour or two. And besides, no matter where they went she was always the prettiest, liveliest girl there. The one all the guys drooled over then stumbled over each other in their haste to get away unharmed when he showed up. So even if he was never allowed to see other girls, he enjoyed himself quite enough with just Dynamite.  
  
He returned his attention to the now-pouting raven-haired girl who came even closer and ran her hand down his arm, "You sure?"  
  
He sighed. It was often times so hard to say no. What harm could one dance do? It wasn't like anything else would happen. He opened his mouth to agree when he caught sight of Dynamite out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Quickly dismissing the girl he called out to his girlfriend, "Dynamite!"  
  
Sure enough, there she was surrounded by boys. He wasn't really jealous though. He knew that for some strange reason she was more comfortable around men than around girls, with the exception of Shadow, Princess and Bone.  
  
Her face lit up as she saw him while the expressions of those surrounding her did not look nearly as thrilled.  
  
She quickly came over and he pulled her onto his lap. "Whatcha doin'?" He asked kissing her cheek and wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned against him and sighed, "Well, I was about ta ask dat group of guys if dey wanted ta play pokah."  
  
He chuckled again, "Let them keep their money. I want you for myself now."  
  
They were silent for several moments. Ghost stroked her stomach and then cringed as the tipsy boy started singing off-key again. "I'm gonna have to see if I can get rid of him."  
  
"Tack?" Dynamite asked, surprised.  
  
He motioned to the boy and she nodded, "Dat's Tack. Why on earth would you do dat?"  
  
"Look at him, Dynamite. He's a fool. What help can he possibly be?"  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Well considerin' da fact that he's probably stolen t'ree dollars by stumblin' into people, a lot. He's one a da best pickpockets we got. I mean, he's stealin' from other thieves for pete's sake!"  
  
Ghost was surprised by the news. He hadn't noticed the boy even reach for someone's pocket. He was good.  
  
Dynamite laughed, "You didn't t'ink he was really drunk did ya?"  
  
Thankfully Ghost was saved from having to answer by the arrival of two young men roughly his own age. Dynamite shrieked when she saw them and jumped off his lap. Then she threw herself into the arms of the older boy and hugged him tightly. "Morris! Oscar! I had no idea you two were comin' tonight! Didn't you guys have a job tonight?"  
  
Morris nodded, "Yeah, but dat's later. Snake let us come heah for a few hours." He glanced at Ghost hesitantly, suddenly wondering whether he had gotten his group leader in trouble.  
  
Ghost nodded slowly, and both Delanceys breathed a sigh of relief. Snake would have killed them for not only making it obvious their group wasn't spending the last few hours before their operation preparing, but for also putting the blame on him. Thankfully it seemed Ghost was in a lenient mood. Or it might just be that he was waiting for Dynamite to leave before ripping into them. It wouldn't be the first time.  
  
If they were to be totally honest, Morris and Oscar would admit they didn't particularly trust Ghost not to hurt their sister. They had lived with her all their lives- or at least up until a couple years ago. At that time they had left home- the bar their father ran- to go work for their Uncle Weasel in New York. A year later they were fired after the newsies strike in 1899 and returned home to find that their father had died and their half-sister (same father, though different mothers) had joined a gang and was dating the leader. It had been a lot to adjust to, but when Michelle- or Dynamite as she was now called- had gotten Ghost to give them a job, they hadn't hesitated. So now, seven months after the strike, they were quite enjoying the dangerous and unpredictable life they lead. The only downfall was putting up with Ghost, which was always a bit awkward after that little incident when Oscar punched him in the jaw. But really, seeing a young man their age passionately kissing his younger sister who he hadn't seen in a year was enough to send any man into a fit of protective older brother rage.  
  
Thank heaven, and Dynamite's quick pleading, that Ghost had let it go with only one punch in return. It could have been much worse, all things considering.  
  
And since then, they could tell Ghost had made an effort for their sister's sake to be civil to them. Which was something other gang members teased them with. As if having the leader of the entire Boston Shadows gang as their sister's long-term boyfriend helped them at all. Just the fact that they had been put into one of the small-time groups instead of one of the more privileged ones showed Ghost's reluctance to have them around.  
  
It was with that knowledge that Oscar and Morris turned to greet their sister's boyfriend. Who was, in fact, not even listening to them. His attention was across the room, where a blonde girl stood watchfully by the door. Ghost stood up abruptly and excused himself, crossing the room to the girl. Together the pair entered into a side room and closed the door.  
  
Dynamite turned and shrugged at her brothers, forcing a smile onto her face, "He'll explain later. So what have you two have been up to?"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Fifteen minutes later Ghost reappeared with the blonde girl. Morris and Oscar had already left and Dynamite sat playing poker with some others.  
  
"Dynamite." A familiar voice said in her ear. She turned and faked a smile when she saw the blonde girl beside her boyfriend. She was pretty, Dynamite grudgingly admitted. Brown eyes that looked very alert and calculating, this girl seemed far smarter and more experienced than one would expect at first glance. Her blonde hair was straight and fell below her shoulders, and she wore a red shirt and black pants. The girl was scowling, Dynamite noticed curiously, and then turned to look back at Ghost.  
  
"What?"  
  
He knelt down next to her, "I thought you were hanging out with me tonight."  
  
"I was. But then you abandoned me for her." Dynamite jerked her head towards the girl.  
  
An amused glint appeared in his gray eyes and he smirked, "There's no need to be jealous, Dynamite. This is Adelaide- she just finished an assignment and was coming to get a new one."  
  
Dynamite nodded her head, relieved, though she tried not to show it. "Oh, well nice to meet you."  
  
The girl nodded, still scowling.  
  
Ghost chuckled, "I'm afraid she's not very happy with the job she got. But she'll do a great job."  
  
The girl glared at him and left. Ghost turned to watch the game and smiled, "Can I join?"  
  
The rest of the poker players stumbled all over themselves in their rush to make room for him. Ghost smirked.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The following day was spent in preparation for the evening heist. Each of the ten members were gathering the stuff they would need and deciding what they would do for their part in it. Only four members had specific jobs for the night: Storm, Dynamite, Slick and Shadow. Bone, Mask and Princess had already done theirs by getting the information necessary and planning, and Ghost would overlook the entire operation to make sure everything went smoothly. Giant and Brute would be on the look-out and there in case anything went wrong or the police appeared.  
  
The dinner party began at 6. Around 4:30, Bone, Dynamite and Shadow were in their room killing time when suddenly the door flew open and Princess stood there, her hair a mess and tear streaks on her face. A single suitcase was clutched in her trembling hand which she dropped and then threw her arms around Bone and held her tightly.  
  
"What happened?" Shadow cried.  
  
"Dere, it's awright. Shhh..." Bone murmured soothingly, rubbing Princess' back while shooting wide-eyed looks at the other two girls.  
  
Princess soon calmed down enough to explain that a friend of her step- father's had seen her leaving the Shadows hide-out last night. He hadn't known what it was, of course, but had reported the incident to Mr. Britten out of gentlemanly concern.  
  
"He called me in to see him after tea this morning. Apparently he had been doing some investigating. He found out that I wasn't actually visiting my friends like I'd said I was so I could come here. Then he realized that it was awfully strange how I'd become so 'close' to a lady and several weeks later her house would be robbed. He knows!"  
  
Princess buried her head in Dynamite's lap for a few moments and then finally told the rest of the sad story. "It was horrible! Stepfather got so mad. He grabbed my arm, called me a disgrace and told me he never wanted to see my face again!"  
  
A male voice suddenly cleared his throat and the girls looked up to see Ghost standing in the doorway. In one quick glance, his cold gray eyes had taken in Princess's tear-stained face and suitcase. He knew immediately what had happened. Princess hurried to wipe at her eyes, and the girls were silent for several moments, waiting to see what he would say. The only thing that came out of his mouth, however, was an impersonal, "Why are you here?"  
  
Princess was momentarily taken aback by his cold tone of voice and tripped over her words. "Well, uh, my stepfather discovered what I was doing and kicked me out," she paused briefly, hoping his face would reflect some form of sympathy and kindness at the news, but he showed no surprise at her words and just stood there gazing calmly at her.  
  
"That wasn't my question." He said impatiently, "I asked why you were here."  
  
At this, comprehension dawned on her and she paled, stuttering, "I-I though I could- maybe- stay, um, here."  
  
The silence in the room was deafening. Suddenly Ghost turned his head towards the other three girls in the room, though his eyes never left Princess's. "Dynamite, Bone, Shadow. Get your things and join the rest of the gang. I'll join you soon. I need to talk to Miss Britten."  
  
Shadow and Bone started at his impersonal use of her last name, while Princess merely showed hurt. They left immediately however, and only Dynamite stayed behind, reluctant to leave. "Ghost-" she began, but he snapped his eyes to her and spoke harshly, "I said leave."  
  
Dynamite turned and left the room, the door clicking shut behind her.  
  
A.N.- Oh my Gosh!! I am so SORRY this took such a long time to get up. I wrote like the first little scene and then just got so stuck and hit a dead end. I couldn't write anything for months. It was really weird. Today I just sat down and started typing away. Don't you love it when your creative juices start flowing! Now I'm really sorry if this story is too much description and not enough action, but I'm really only doing one more chapter with the gang, and so these chapters are really critical that you understand things and relationships and background pieces. The pace will pick up soon! Next chapter is REALLY important and hopefully will be nice and dramatic. Hopefully. And after that we get to meet the newsies!!!!!!! 


End file.
